Bed and Breakfast – Ancienne Maison Des Gardes @ Lourmarin, France

We took a balcony room at Ancienne Maison des Gardes, Lourmarin (85 euros for the room, not inclusive of breakfast at 12 euros per person). Very similar to the one we took at Le Mas Des Roses in Gordes, where the staircase leads up directly to the room.

The room is rather spacious with a comfortable bed, and an arm chair right next to the window which looks out to the balcony.

The balcony is small, but is enough for a table for two. And we did have a nice little take away dinner on this balcony.

The wash basin is in open space with storage cupboards underneath. Simple cutleries, kitchen appliances like toaster, electric kettle and mini fridge are available.

The shower and toilette are clean, modern and are separated into two individual spaces.

The courtyard has a few tables and chairs and makes a nice place for dining if you decide to make a simple meal.

I had high expectations of Ancienne Maison Des Gardes after reading excellent reviews on tripadvisor (4-5 star rating). Ancienne Maison Des Gardes is conveniently located in the town of Lourmarin so everything is within walking distance. The boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and the castle nearby. Overall, it is not too bad but because I had high expectations to start with, so my experience didn’t match up to the expectations. Like everyone mentioned on tripadvisor, Rose is really helpful and friendly, chit chatting with us, and asking if we need any information about Lourmarin and vicinity.

Other than that, I felt a bit let down by the room as it was bare and simple. And the little details were not taken care of. The soap that was left in the bathroom was a piece of used soap and not a new one. The courtyard could do with a bit more grooming. The breakfast at 12 euros per person is rather simple. I had also enquired prior to our travel about whether it’s going to be hot in the night without air conditioning and Rose said not to worry because the house is a 600 years old stone house which cools down by night. But Gary and I found it difficult to sleep as it was warm with the fan.

I might be too picky here as I did just come from a wonderful B&B at Le Mas Des Roses in Gordes which is tastefully done, well maintained with delicious, thoughtful breakfast and only at 75 euros per night, inclusive of breakfast for two.

Anyway, finding Ancienne Maison Des Gardes can be a bit tricky if you are travelling by GPS as parts of the roads are blocked and only accessible to the residents. The GPS will most likely bring you to the vicinity and just look out for the blue door that says “Chambbre D’Hotes” or just give Rose a call and she will come find you.